Hollister Stikes Again
by sbishoff
Summary: Hollister's back, and this time he wants to finish what he started last time.


Author's Notes: I don't own the characters.

I found after I finished "Failure?" that I wasn't quite done with Hollister, so here he is again.

Hollister Strikes Again

by Susan Bishoff

Mark McCormick, resident ex-con at Gulls-Way, was mowing the front lawn. He was almost done and he hoped he could take a break before he had to start the next chore the judge had waiting for him.

It had been four months since the incident with James Hollister and the young man was still trying to put it all behind him. He stopped for a moment as he was going across the yard. The hedges were directly in front of him and every time he saw them, he would have to stop his thoughts from turning to what had happened with Hollister. It was even harder when he was in the lower yard where the gardener's trailer used to be. The grass seed had taken root well and the bare spot was almost gone.

But this time when he saw the hedges his thoughts didn't turn in that direction. Instead he thought that he was glad he had trimmed them yesterday. He wanted to relax for a few hours this afternoon and was relieved that job was done. Realizing that he didn't feel any of the tension that had been there every time he saw or trimmed the hedges lately, he started grinning as he went back to mowing.

_Dr. Maxwell was right. He said that one day I'd look at them or the back yard and Hollister would not enter my mind. I know I may think of him next time, but I didn't this time and that is good enough for me,_ he thought to himself, smiling.

00000

Judge Milton C. Hardcastle was sitting at the desk in the den. He had turned toward the window and was watching the young man at work in the yard.

The four months since the incident with Hollister had been rough going for the ex-con. But the kid had come a long way and had come to terms with what had happened to him. He no longer needed the therapist and was sleeping well at night again.

McCormick's shoulder had healed well and there were almost no signs that the incident had occurred. But the judge knew that Mark still could not work on the hedges or the lower yard without some apprehension. The kid would stop and collect himself before starting on those areas. But the young ex-con hadn't back down, and he hadn't let it stop him from what needed to be done. Over these past few weeks the judge had noticed McCormick seemed less stressed after performing one of these duties. He thought to himself, _I sure am glad the kid seems to finally be able to put that whole incident behind him._

The judge pushed back from the window and turned back to his desk. He looked over the file he had been studying all morning. _This next case should be simple,_ Hardcastle thought as he put the papers away.

The cases the jurist had chosen after Hollister had taken Mark were the simple, easy to handle ones. He had wanted to give McCormick time to get emotionally ready to continue. He knew the kid had told him he was ready to get back to the cases, but the judge wanted to be sure. Hardcastle didn't want to push his young friend too hard, too fast.

Life was returning to normal and the judge was glad to see McCormick finally at ease again. He continued to think about how this arrangement was working. Aside from the kid's smart mouth, the judge was very pleased with how things were going. To be honest with himself, he didn't dislike the ex-con's smart mouth nearly as much as he pretended to. He couldn't let Mark know that he actually enjoyed it. It kept the both of them on their toes as they tried to out do each other with insults or complaints.

The judge was still thinking about his relationship with the young ex-con when he heard the front door slam, signaling the entrance of said ex-con into the house.

"Judge!" Mark yelled as he headed toward the den.

"In here, McCormick!" the judge replied and seeing him enter, added, "Must you slam the door and yell every time you come into the house?"

"Just wanted to be sure you heard me," Mark responded as he flopped into a chair, throwing his leg over the arm.

"People ten miles away could hear you," Hardcastle responded as he tried to hide his grin, and looked at the young man sternly.

The two men sat quietly, each studying the other and waiting to see who was going to speak first.

"Don't you have chores to do?" the older man asked, wondering to himself how the kid could possibly be comfortable sitting in the chair as he was.

"I'm finished with the mowing," the young man responded, sitting back and relaxing. "Are we going to start a new case soon?" McCormick asked after a few moments of silence.

The judge considered the young man in front of him and said," Yes, we will in a few days. I need to talk to Frank to get some more information so I can decide how we are going to proceed. Now, back to what I asked you, aren't you supposed to be fertilizing the rose bushes?"

"We're out of fertilizer," Mark answered.

"Well, then take the truck and get some. I want those roses fertilized today," the jurist told him.

"Aw, Judge, I was hoping I could take a break and relax this afternoon. I can go get the fertilizer later and do the roses tomorrow," McCormick answered, sitting straight in the chair.

"Kid, you've been loafing off enough lately. Go get the fertilizer and put it on the roses," Hardcastle responded as he looked at Mark sternly.

"Judge, you've got to be kidding. I mowed the yard today, trimmed the hedges yesterday and a couple of days ago I washed all the windows for Sarah. I haven't had time to loaf off and if you weren't such a slave driver, you'd know it!" McCormick said, rising to his feet.

"Slave driver, huh? You know when we're not on a case, I expect a full day's work out of you," the judge replied, becoming angry.

"I just wanted a few hours to relax," the young man responded. "But never mind, I should have known better than expect anything else from a donkey," he said as he started toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Hardcastle yelled after him.

To get the fertilizer!" Mark yelled back.

"Wait," the judge said, and watched the young ex-con pause on the landing before turning back to face him. _The kid has been working hard and maybe I have been pushing a little too hard,_ he thought as he made a decision. "Go get the fertilizer now and you can wait until tomorrow to put it on the bushes," he told the young man.

Mark's face broke out in a grin. "Thanks, Judge," he said as he headed out of the den.

"Yes, well, I want those roses fertilized and the other things on the list for tomorrow done tomorrow," the jurist said firmly.

"Yeah, Kemosabe," McCormick said as he went out the front door, leaving it slam on his way out.

As the judge sat wondering after the young man left, "The kid doesn't seem to be able to do anything quietly," he said aloud to himself. He was surprised when he heard a voice in the doorway.

"He does like to make his presence known," Sarah said entering from the doorway. "But you really wouldn't want him to change, now would you?"

"No, I guess not. He really keeps you on your toes, _that's_ for sure. I swear that kid only has one speed--wide open. That goes for his mouth as well," Hardcastle replied smiling, as he thought of the young man.

Sarah watched the jurist and smiled to herself. He might complain about the noise the young ex-con created, but she knew he enjoyed their interactions more than he let on.

After a few moments she asked, "Do you want your lunch in here or in the dining room?"

"I'll eat in here and I suppose McCormick will need something when he gets back," the judge replied.

"I'll make him a plate and put it in the refrigerator," she said smiling as she went to get Hardcastle's food. She returned with it a few minutes later and placed it in front of him. "Enjoy your lunch, Your Honor."

"Thank you, Sarah," he said as she turned to leave.

"You're welcome," she replied, and left him alone to enjoy his meal.

00000

McCormick had been gone about 30 minutes when the judge heard a vehicle in the drive. _The kid can't possibly be back already,_ he thought as he turned to see who was coming.

Sarah went to the door and met the police officer. "Good afternoon, Lieutenant."

"Good afternoon, Sarah. Is Milt in?" Harper asked.

"Yes, His Honor is in the den. Come on in," she said, holding the door open for him and showing him into the room.

"Lieutenant Harper to see you, Your Honor," she announced from the doorway.

"Frank, come in and make yourself comfortable," the judge replied.

Frank took a seat and looked to his old friend, "Hello, Milt."

"I'll bring you some coffee," Sarah said and left the den. She returned a few minutes later and sat it on the desk. She poured them each a cup and then left them to their business.

The lieutenant sat quietly for a few moments. The news he had to share was going to impact the two men living at Gulls-Way greatly, and he hated that he was the one having to tell them. Well, that was not exactly true. When he had heard it, he decided he didn't want them to hear it from someone else, so he would tell them himself. He spoke after a few moments. "Is Mark here?"

"No, he went to get some fertilizer for the roses," the judge answered, becoming uneasy at his friend's demeanor. "Is there something wrong? The kid's not in any trouble, is he?"

"No, Milt, he's not in trouble. I was just wondering if he was home. I have some news for you and thought if he was home, I'd tell you both at the same time," Harper replied as he shifted in his chair.

Hardcastle noticed how uncomfortable his old friend seemed, and asked, "What's on your mind, Frank?"

Deciding to start with the most important fact first, Frank replied, "I got a call from the warden at San Quentin a few hours ago. He called to tell me that James Hollister escaped this morning. He watched as the color drained from the judge's face.

"He escaped? From Quentin?" the jurist asked trying to collect his thoughts.

The lieutenant explained, "No, he didn't escape from San Quentin. Yesterday, one of the convicts that Hollister had mistreated when he was a cop tried to kill him. Since there were others that wanted him dead for the same reason, the warden decided to transfer him to another prison before someone else tried. He was in transport this morning when the vehicle he was in was involved in an accident. In the resulting confusion, Hollister killed the guard and fled, taking the guard's gun with him."

Hardcastle listened to the cop's explanation and then asked, "Do you have any idea where he is?"

"No," Harper replied and then went on to say, "No one's seen any sign of him. When I spoke to the warden earlier today, he said that Hollister had said on several occasions that if he ever got a chance he would get you and McCormick. He had called me to warn me Hollister might be heading into my jurisdiction. He was going to call you, but I told him, I'd tell you myself. I'm going to have some units patrolling the area to be on the lookout for him."

"Thanks, Frank, I appreciate you coming out here and telling me," the judge said, thinking about how he should handle the situation. Then speaking more to himself than the lieutenant, he said, "The kid has finally started to put this behind him…and now this."

"What are you going to do, Milt? What are you going to tell Mark?" Harper asked, as he studied the jurist's face.

"I don't know. I'm not sure if I should mention this to him. He's finally started to relax and maybe he doesn't have to know," the older man replied, uncertainly.

"Milt, I'm not sure keeping this from Mark is a wise idea. I know he's had a difficult time getting over what Hollister did to him and I understand your wanting to protect him from this, but not informing him that the man is loose out there could be a mistake," Harper told his long time friend.

"Maybe, but telling him is just going to reopen old wounds. If you and I can handle this, maybe he won't have to know," the judge replied.

"He deserves to know he's in danger." Frank said, not envying his friend's difficult decision.

"Yes, well, I haven't decided what to say to him," Hardcastle said as he continued to consider the options.

The police officer sat studying his friend for a few minutes and then admitted, "I can understand your hesitation. I was actually relieved when you said he wasn't here and I realized I wouldn't have to give him the news."

The two men sat discussing the situation and what preventative measures they would take. Standing to leave Frank said, "Be careful, Milt. Hollister is after you as well as Mark and as we saw last time, he's quite tricky."

"I will," Hardcastle replied as Harper left the den. He sat and contemplated whether to tell Mark and if so, how much should he reveal.

00000

Mark had returned with the fertilizer, and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing on the beach while the judge continued to think about Hollister.

The ex-con returned to the house in time for dinner. He stopped at the den on his way to the dining room and he and Hardcastle went to join Sarah in the dining room. She had just placed the last bowl on the table when the two men entered the room.

Everyone sat down to enjoy the meal. Conversation was strained as the judge was visibly distracted and McCormick was wondering over Hardcastle's change of mood.

"Judge, is something wrong? You look like there's something on your mind. Is it something about our next case? Did something happen to your family?" the young man asked, studying his friend's face and suggesting all the things he could think of that would cause the older man to be so preoccupied.

"No, there's nothing wrong. I was just thinking," Hardcastle responded. Seeing McCormick about to speak, he continued. "And it's not something I want to talk about. It's not about the next case, although I do want to talk to you about it, but not tonight."

From the older man's tone, Mark knew not to push. He knew something was bothering his friend and he was determined to find out what it was. He would let it go for now but he planned on knowing what it was before the evening was over.

After the meal, Mark helped Sarah with the dishes, while the judge went in the den. After finishing, McCormick walked into the den and stood in front of the desk.

"Okay, Hardcase, what's up?" the young ex-con said, and then added, "And don't give me 'I don't want to talk about it.' I'm not accepting that answer."

Hardcastle looked at his associate standing in front of him and wondered if he could avoid telling him the truth. Seeing the determined look on the young man's face, he sighed heavily and said, "Sit down, kiddo, and I'll tell you."

Hearing the serious tone and seeing the discomfort on the jurist's face, McCormick sank into a chair. He turned his attention to the older man and waited for him to continue,

"Frank came by today to let us know that Hollister escaped this morning," the judge told Mark and then went on to give him the details the police lieutenant had shared earlier. As he told the younger man what he knew, the jurist watched as the color drained from his friend's face. He could see the shadow of fear enter McCormick's eyes, and knew he was bringing back ghosts the kid had just banished.

The ex-con listened as the judge explained and tried to control his fear. His thoughts were turning to what Hollister had done to him before. _No, he can't be free. I couldn't sleep for a long time without having nightmares after the last confrontation with him, and it was so hard to do my chores without remembering what he had done in that trailer. I just got my life back and finally I'm not afraid. I'm not going to let him take it from me again._

After Hardcastle finished, he waited to see if the kid was going to respond. At first Mark sat staring straight ahead and seemed to not even see the judge sitting in front of him. The jurist thought as he continued to watch his young assistant, _Oh great. I knew the kid would take this hard. He looks like he's in shock._

Several minutes passed and then McCormick seemed to shake himself from his nightmarish thoughts and his eyes took on a look of fear and apprehension, which he quickly wiped from his face. Seeming to collect himself, the young man looked to Hardcastle and asked, "Did Frank think he was headed this way?" He hadn't been quite able to keep his feelings from being reflected in his voice.

"Yeah, it seems that Hollister spoke about what he would do if he ever got the chance," the judge replied.

"And coming after us is what he talked about, isn't it?" the ex-con asked, although he suspected what the answer would be. He needed to know for sure.

"Yes, the warden called and told Frank that was what he talked about most," the jurist answered, not wanting to worry his young friend, but deciding the kid had a right to know all the facts.

Mark was trying to control the fear he could feel gripping his heart. "What are we gonna do?" he asked, knowing the judge would have a plan.

"We're not going to start any cases until he's caught. You're not going to do anything except your chores. I'm gonna go on as usual. The police will be patrolling the area for any signs of Hollister and to prevent him from coming to the estate," Hardcastle explained.

"Okay," the ex-con replied, not relaxing, but trying to conceal exactly how upset he was.

"McCormick, we'll catch him," the older man said, trying to reassure his young friend.

"I know, it's just that I finally put it all behind me and to think that he's out there again scares me. I can't do it again, Judge," Mark replied as he tried to stop the trembling that had overtaken him.

"Kiddo, we're gonna do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen," the judge replied, wanting to ease the young man's worries but also not wanting to lie to him. The jurist watched as McCormick straightened and with great effort pushed his fear and concerns away.

Mark looked up and met Hardcastle's eyes. "Okay, Hardcase. Thanks for telling me. I mean I'm not happy that he's out there, but I'd rather know than not know," the ex-con replied.

"To be honest with you, I wasn't sure whether to tell you or not, but I see your point," the jurist responded.

Both men sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Suddenly Mark rose and headed toward the door. "I'm gonna go make some popcorn. The movie will be starting in a few minutes," the young man said as he headed for the door.

Recognizing the ex-con's need to change the subject and to distract himself for a while, Hardcastle replied, "Sure thing, kid. I'll find the channel it's on." He watched as his young assistant left the room. He knew that it was taking quite an effort on the kid's part to put his worries aside, and the judge was proud of him. The jurist decided he would put his concerns aside as well to help the young man deal with this unexpected bump in the road.

McCormick returned with a large bowl of popcorn and settled into his chair to watch the movie.

The conversation during the movie was not as lively as would normally occur and it took considerably more effort, but for the most part both men were able to forget the disturbing news they had received today. When Mark would find his thoughts starting to drift toward Hollister, Hardcastle would say something to draw him back to the present and McCormick did the same for the judge when the jurist's thoughts were headed toward the situation.

00000

The next morning, Hardcastle was sitting at the patio table when he saw McCormick walking around the corner and headed toward him. He studied the younger man's face as he approached and as he got closer, the judge could see the lines of weariness around his eyes.

Mark sat down and started to fill his plate with bacon and eggs. He looked up and met the older man's eyes and saw the exhaustion he felt reflected there. "I see you didn't sleep too well, either," he remarked as he began to eat.

The jurist shrugged in response, knowing no answer was necessary.

After breakfast, McCormick went to start on his chores without any of the usual arguments.

The judge knew the lack of complaint and going to do his chores was the young man's way of coping with the situation. He knew Mark wanted to keep himself busy so his mind would not have time to be filled with thoughts of Hollister.

00000

James Hollister had arrived back in L.A. late the night before. He had been patrolling the area surrounding Gulls-Way to get an idea of how hard it would be to gain access to his targets. As he was checking out the area, he started planning what he would do when he got his hands on Hardcastle and the ex-con.

He was also watching the police patrols and soon learned their scheduled pattern for patrolling the highway in front of the estate. Satisfied that the cops were not going to be a problem, he thought as he stood near the gate, _It'll be a piece of cake getting in when the time is right. Soon, I'll finish the lesson I started and this time, no one will stop me._

He opened the mailbox and placed the item inside and then quickly slipped away to where he had parked his car. He drove off and was gone before the next patrol passed the gates.

00000

Hardcastle stepped out the door and yelled, "McCormick! Get the mail and come in for lunch!"

Mark went to the mailbox and retrieved the mail before heading to the house. Normally he would sort the mail, but today his mind was on other things. Entering the house and tossing the mail on the table, he went to wash up at the sink. He sat down at the table.

Sarah put a bowl of soup in front of each man and a plate of sandwiches in the middle of the table. She knew something was bothering the two men. She could see the lines of worry on their faces and neither looked like they had slept the night before. She wanted to ask but she sensed that whatever it was, it was something neither man was comfortable discussing. She sat down at her own place and started to eat her soup.

Mark reached over and took a sandwich. "Sarah would you like one?" he asked, holding the plate for her.

"Yes, thank you, Mark," she told him, taking a sandwich.

Hardcastle pulled the mail over toward him and started going through it as he ate his lunch. There wasn't much in the mail besides a few bills. There was one envelope that caught his attention and deciding to open it later when he was alone, he placed it aside with the bills.

After lunch, McCormick rose and took his plate to the sink. "Thanks, Sarah. Lunch was delicious."

"You're welcome. Mark. I'm glad you liked it," she replied.

Turning to Hardcastle, the young man said, "I'm gonna go finish the roses and then I'll do the gutters."

"Okay," the judge replied, watching the young man leave the kitchen and return outdoors. He knew that the gutters were not on the assigned list of chores for today. He didn't say anything about the ex-con's offering to do them because he understood the kid's need to keep busy. Picking up the mail he walked into the den.

00000

Hardcastle threw the mail on the desk except for the letter that had attracted his attention earlier. He looked the envelope over carefully. There was no return address, just his name and address. He also noticed the envelope bore no postmark, nor did it have a stamp. He knew that meant the envelope was put in the box in person.

The judge slit the envelope and removed the single sheet of paper inside. He read the words on the paper, reached for the phone and dialed Frank Harper.

The jurist was reading the note again when he heard someone pick up on the other end of the line. "Frank, I just got a note from Hollister. He must have put it in the mailbox himself this morning because it doesn't have any postmark or stamp. It was in the box when McCormick brought the mail up an hour ago," Hardcastle explained. "It says 'Remember I still owe you and your pet ex-con one lesson.' and it's signed 'Jack Hollister.'" He listened while Frank spoke and then said, "McCormick doesn't know about it. I don't think he went through the mail as he usually does, so I don't think he saw it."

After listening to the police officer for a few moments, Hardcastle said, "Okay. I'll see you later, Frank," and then hung up the phone.

00000

The judge and Mark had just finished dinner and walked into the den when they heard a car pull up outside.

Sarah met the police lieutenant at the door and showed him into the den.

"Hello, Milt. Hello, Mark," Frank said, greeting each man.

"Frank, have you found Hollister yet?" Mark asked as the cop took a seat.

"No, Mark, I'm sorry, we haven't but we are looking for him. We still have a patrol watching the area," Harper answered, understanding the young man's wanting to know the man had been caught. He wished he had more information to reassure the ex-con and his long time friend.

Hardcastle responded, "We know you are, Frank," and then turning to the his assistant, said, "McCormick, go in the kitchen and get us some drinks."

The officer and the jurist watched as the young man rose and left the room. As soon as he was out of earshot, the older man handed the lieutenant the note he had received in the mail. Harper glanced at it quickly and then placed it in his pocket as he heard McCormick returning with the refreshments.

The three men discussed the precautions being taken for Hollister and the conversation then turned to other unrelated topics. A few hours later, Frank left to go home.

McCormick and Hardcastle watched the evening movie and then retired for the evening.

00000

At 2:30 am the judge was awakened by the ringing of the phone. _McCormick, if this is one of your bimbos, you'll live to regret this, _he thought as he reached for the phone.

"Hello," he replied into the receiver.

"_Good evening, Judge Hardcastle_," the voice on the other end replied.

Instantly awake, the jurist yelled "Hollister! What do you want?"

Hollister replied, "_I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to worry about your pet ex-con. I just took care of him--right in the Gatehouse_." And then his laughter was heard over the line before it went dead.

Those words chilled Hardcastle to the bone. He didn't think twice, just grabbed his robe and headed out of the house and across the yard. He rushed into the Gatehouse and up the stairs. Seeing the lump in the middle of the bed, he yanked the covers from the bed.

Startled by the sudden removal of his blankets, the young ex-con jerked awake. After his eyes adjusted to the dark and seeing the judge standing at the foot of the bed holding the blankets, Mark said, "Hardcase, have you lost your mind?" Then glancing at the clock on the stand, added, "It's 2:35 in the morning. I know you like to play basketball at 5:00 am but this is ridiculous."

"Well, I thought I heard noises over here and I wanted to be sure you didn't have a girl hidden over here," the jurist retorted, embarrassed at his impulsive behavior.

"And what would you have done if I did have a woman under the covers with me when you ripped them off," the ex-con commented and watched as Hardcastle's face flushed from the implication. After savoring the older man's discomfort for a few moments he decided to let him off the hook and spoke again. "All right, you old donkey, you knew I didn't have a girl over here. I was with you in the house watching John Wayne until midnight. Spill, what really brought you over here to wake me at this hour," Mark responded, not fooled by his friend's answer.

"Okay, I got a call a few minutes ago from Hollister. He said he had killed you and I came to make sure you were okay," Hardcastle answered.

Mark swallowed the fear he felt at the mention of Hollister's name. "Well, you can relax, I'm just fine other than being awakened at such an ungodly hour," the young man responded.

The jurist studied his young assistant's face for a few minutes, noticing the fear that had crept into his eyes. Before he could say anything, McCormick said, "Judge, go back to the house. Thanks for checking, but I'm fine."

"Yeah, okay," Hardcastle replied as he tossed the blankets back on the bed and started down the stairs. He could hear Mark rearranging his blankets and muttering to himself. He listened for a few moments and when he was assured that the young man was going back to bed, he quietly relocked and closed the door.

As he walked back to the house he thought to himself, _Hollister's up to his old tricks. He's toying with us just like the last time. Well this time, we're ready for him._

00000

As he entered the house, he was met by Sarah. "I heard the phone ring and then you took off out of the house. Is something wrong?" she asked, concern on her face.

"No, everything's fine. I just needed to check something outside," the judge said, trying to reassure his faithful housekeeper.

"At 2:30 in the morning?" Sarah asked not buying his story. "Your Honor, you and Mark have been upset all day. I know something is bothering the two of you and I understand if you don't want to tell me, but I would like to help," the housekeeper said, her concern clearly evident.

"Okay, Sarah, come in the kitchen and I'll explain it to you," the jurist replied as he led her into the kitchen. He gave her all the information he had and reassured her that the police were doing everything they could to catch Hollister.

She didn't say anything for the longest time and then she said quietly, "Mark's got to be terrified."

"Yeah, he's pretty shaken up, but he's trying to not let it get to him," the judge said.

"That's why he did the gutters today without being told to, isn't it? He hates doing those gutters," Sarah remarked.

"Yes, he's trying to stay busy, so he has less time to think about it," Hardcastle replied.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked.

"No, the police are doing the searching. McCormick and I are just going to be taking it easy until he's caught. So, try not to worry too much," the judge said trying to put the housekeeper's fears to rest.

Sarah studied the jurist's face. She was glad he had told her what was bothering them, but she was worried about what the criminal would do if he wasn't stopped. She decided the best thing to do would be to just act as if nothing was going on and try to take the judge and Mark's minds off it when she could. She then said, "Now that you know he's safe, you should go back to bed, Your Honor."

"I'm ready to go now if you're okay." Hardcastle said.

"I won't lie and say I'm not worried, but I trust that you and the police will be doing everything possible to stop him," she answered.

"Okay, then let's get to bed. I'll walk you up," he said, letting her lead the way as they headed back upstairs.

00000

Hardcastle called Harper in the morning to report that Hollister had called him the night before and told him about the call. The lieutenant replied by saying maybe they could get a tap on his line later that day in case the escaped convict called back. It would take until late afternoon before it could be done.

The rest of the morning was uneventful with the judge was reading the paper while Mark was helping Sarah by moving furniture so she could vacuum. At 10:30 am the housekeeper had just finished the den and went to vacuum upstairs when the phone rang.

Hardcastle answered the phone on the third ring. "Hello."

"_Good morning, Judge. How are you this morning_?" Hollister said, laughing. "_You can't protect him forever, you know."_

"Hollister, you leave McCormick alone!" the jurist warned.

"_Sorry, Your Honor,_" the ex-cop replied, saying the title with distaste, "_I didn't finish my lesson and I am going to finish it soon._ _But I will tell you this, he'll know his place by the time I'm done with him." _

The judge could hear Hollister's laughter on the line and ordered, "You leave him alone! I'll not let you hurt him!"

"_You can't stop me,"_ the convict said right before the line went dead.

Hardcastle hung up the phone angrily, relieved that the vacuum had been running and Mark didn't know Hollister had phoned again. The longer the ex-cop was out there, the harder it was for the young man to ignore his growing fear. The jurist knew the kid was trying to act as if it wasn't bothering him, but it was evident on the ex-con's face and in his eyes.

00000

That afternoon, Hollister was parked not far from Gulls-Way. He wanted to be sure of the schedule of the patrols so he could get onto the estate with no trouble. But what he found was that the patrols were no longer on a set schedule. Sometimes it was five minutes before the unit returned, sometimes it was ten. He knew he couldn't take a chance of entering the way he had previously planned. But that was no worry, he'd just find another way.

00000

Hardcastle decided to go to the police station to get some information on the case he and McCormick would be pursuing once the escaped convict was captured. Knowing Sarah was going to go grocery shopping later and would need the truck, he took the Corvette. After she took some refreshments to Mark, where he was cleaning the pool, and told him where she was going, Sarah left to go to the market. Once he was alone, McCormick decided to work in the back yard since he had already did all he could in the front.

00000

Hollister had watched as Hardcastle and then Sarah left Gulls-Way. He would love to catch the kid alone but knew he wouldn't get on the estate without being spotted. Since he didn't want the judge involved yet, he decided the woman was his best way to carry out his plan. He pulled into traffic and followed her and decided that he would wait until just the right moment

00000

Sarah finished the shopping and put the last of the groceries in the back of the truck. She was getting the keys from her purse when she felt something poke into her back and a voice said, "Don't move. Just do exactly as I tell you."

"Who are you and what do you want?" she said, trying to hide her fear.

"Just get into the truck and don't try anything funny, Sarah," the man said, pointing her toward the passenger side. "Get in this side and slide over."

Sarah opened the door and slid across to the driver's side. Then Hollister got in the passenger side and slid down on the floorboards. He kept his gun aimed on her and told her, "Now just drive on home as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening. And don't even think of trying anything funny. I won't think twice about using this."

She pulled the truck into traffic and headed toward Gulls-Way. "Who are you and how did you know my name?" she asked, not sure what this man had in mind. She had an idea who he was and hoped she was wrong.

"I know your name because I did a lot of research and found out everything I needed to know about Hardcastle and McCormick. I'm sure the judge or the ex-con have mentioned me. My name's James Hollister," he said as he watched her face as the information sank in.

Sarah tried to keep her emotions under control as the news registered, but knew her shock showed on her face. "What do you want?" she asked, wanting to deny that this was the man who had hurt Mark and Hardcastle months ago.

"I escaped from prison just so I could finish the lesson I started to teach the judge and that ex-con," he said, knowing his words would cause her to wonder what he had planned.

"You've done enough to Judge Hardcastle and Mark," Sarah replied, surprised that she had the courage to speak up against him. Then gaining control of her anger, she said more calmly, "Why don't you just go away and leave them alone. I won't tell anyone I saw you."

"No, I've thought about this since I went to prison. I want them both to pay for ruining my plans. Hardcastle wasn't supposed to figure out so fast where his lapdog was, and that ex-con filth was just supposed to die. But they couldn't do what was expected, no, they had to go and spoil it. Well, I've got something very special planned for them and you're going to help me," Hollister explained as he watched the fear and anger pass across the woman's face.

Sarah finally found her voice, and said angrily, "I won't help you hurt them."

"No, not willingly, but don't worry, you will help me," the man said as they continued toward Gulls-Way.

Sarah's mind was racing as she tried to think of something she could do. _This awful man hurt the boy so much last time and Judge Hardcastle and I were so frightened over what was happening. I wish there was some way I could warn Mark that Hollister is here. He's there alone and there has to be some way to let him know something is wrong,_ she thought frantically as they neared Gulls-Way.

Sensing that the woman might wish to do something to warn McCormick of his presence, Hollister said, "I know the kid is home alone so don't try anything funny. Just pull into the drive as usual and do exactly as I tell you."

Knowing that this crazy man would not hesitate to kill her and that would bring Mark to him, she decided to not push her luck. She hoped that the young man didn't notice her return from the market and would stay outside until she could think of some way out of this.

Sarah saw the police patrol approaching from the opposite direction and thought maybe she could get their attention by flashing the headlights. She was starting to slowly reach for the switch when Hollister spoke up.

"Don't even think about it. I don't want to kill you here but I will," he told her and when she glanced at him she knew he meant it and returned her hand to the wheel. "Very wise decision, Sarah," he told her smiling.

They had driven a few more minutes when he said, "When you pull in the drive, park close to the house. Then you're going to get out this side and we'll go into the house."

"What are you going to do to us," Sarah asked, afraid of what his answer would be.

"I'm going to finish the lesson I started to teach those two only now there is an extra player. I'm sorry that I had to bring you into this," he said as he grinned, thinking of all he had planned.

"No you're not," Sarah stated calmly.

"You're right, ma'am, I'm not," Hollister said, laughing and then added, "But I'll spare you the details until the next member of our group has joined us."

Reaching the drive, Sarah pulled up to the house and followed the escaped convict out of the truck as instructed. She then preceded the ex-cop into the house.

"We'll wait here," Hollister said, motioning for her to enter the den and pointed to a chair. Sarah sat down as he pulled some rope from his pocket and tied her up.

00000

Mark had been working in the yard since the judge and Sarah had left and he was getting hot. He thought Sarah would probably be back soon so he decided to go get a cool drink and wait for her to return. Then he would help her carry in the groceries and put them away.

He came in through the kitchen door and got a drink of water. He decided to go out front and wait for her.

As he neared the den, he thought he heard a noise coming from inside. Thinking the judge had returned, he started toward the den. "Judge?" he said as he stepped into the doorway. He was shocked when he saw Sarah tied and gagged in the center of the room. Not stopping to think about it first, he started to approach her but stopped at the alarm on her face. Seeing the direction of her gaze and hearing a noise behind him, he started to turn. But he never saw what caused it before he felt a blow to his head. He dropped to his knees and struggled to stay conscious. Before he could clear his head, he felt another blow and pain exploded in his head followed quickly by blackness.

Sarah watched this as tears filled her eyes. She had hoped Mark wouldn't come in until the judge had returned. When she saw Hollister strike the young man, she could see the shock and pain on his face as he struggled to remain awake. And when the convict hit him again, she feared that he was seriously injured.

Hollister walked over to the elderly woman and removed her gag, and said, "We don't need this anymore."

She watched as he then tied McCormick's feet together and then his arms behind his back. Once he had tied him securely, the ex-cop kicked the ex-con several times in the chest and abdomen.

"Stop it! Leave him alone!" Sarah yelled, concerned for Mark's well being.

"Don't worry, I'm done for now. I just wanted to remind him of our last time together. I need him to know what I have planned for him and Judge Hardcastle, so I can't do much more yet," the man said as he leered at the bound young man on the floor.

00000

Mark awoke and slowly became aware of the pain in his head and midsection. He groaned as he tried to straighten his body and it protested.

"Mark," Sarah said to him, trying to see if he was okay.

"Sarah!" Mark yelled, and turned so he could see her. He was relieved when he saw she appeared to be unharmed, and was glad that the convict hadn't hurt her. "Did he hurt you?" he asked, wanting to be sure.

"I'd worry about yourself, if I were you," Hollister said as he stepped into McCormick's line of sight. Seeing the look of fear and anger on the young man's face he said, "So you do remember me and all the fun we had together. I see your shoulder healed nicely."

"Just let her go. You've got me so you don't need her," the ex-con asked, hoping to get Sarah to safety.

"Nope, she stays. You and Hardcastle are going to pay for ruining my plan. You'll just die like you were supposed to, but the judge, well, he's going to watch you and then her die before he dies," the escaped con said as he watched his plan sink in.

"She has nothing to do with this," Mark commented.

"Well, she's associated with _you_ and that's enough for me," the older man remarked as he poked the young man with his foot.

He stood back for a few minutes, and let all he had told McCormick and Sarah sink in. He wanted them to know what he had planned as it made their wait worse.

"Sarah," McCormick said after a while, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

"No, Mark. I'm fine. How about you?" she asked, knowing the young man wouldn't tell her how bad he was hurt.

"I'm okay," the ex-con replied, confirming her expectation. He was silent and then said quietly, "I've felt a lot worse before."

She knew that was as close as he would get to telling her he was in pain. She could see that he was hurting by the involuntary contortions on his face when he moved.

Hollister moved closer and knelt by McCormick, and said as he watched the young man's face, "I know you know where Hardcastle is. I want you to call him." He saw the determination that spread across the Mark's face.

"No, I'm not going to help you get the judge," the ex-con's replied.

"Well, maybe I can convince you," the ex-cop remarked as he stood and started kicking Mark in the stomach. After a few blows, the escaped felon bent back down in front of McCormick and asked, "Have you changed your mind yet?" Seeing Mark shake his head no he replied, "Didn't get enough. Huh? Well I'll get you to call." He stood and once again started to kick the bound man. He placed the blows to connect with the young man's chest and midsection.

After a few blows, Sarah yelled, "Stop! Don't hurt him anymore! I'll call him!"

"No, Sarah," Mark replied, desperate not to allow Hollister to carry out his plan.

"Shut up, you piece of filth," the escaped convict replied, as he delivered one more blow to the young man before walking over to Sarah.

"I have to Mark. I can't just let him hurt you," she said, tears falling from her eyes.

"I'm glad you decided to see things my way," the older man replied, as he picked up the phone. He asked Sarah for the phone number and held the receiver to her ear. He told her to get the judge on the line. As soon as he heard her say, "Your Honor," he jerked the phone away and said into the receiver, "Judge Hardcastle, it's so nice to talk to you again."

"_Hollister! You had better not hurt her_," the jurist said when he heard the voice of the man he had grown to despise.

"Now, now, you had better calm down. I called to let you know I have something that belongs to you," the escaped felon said walking over to McCormick. He knelt and said low and mean, "Speak, boy." When Mark refused, the older man slapped him sharply across the face, causing the young man to cry out.

"_McCormick_!" the judge yelled.

"Yes, I've got your little lapdog. If you want to see him or your housekeeper alive, you had better come home. We'll be waiting. I know you are at the police station, so you can invite your cop friend along. One more person at the party won't matter," the ex-cop said and then hung up the phone.

00000

Hardcastle swore as he slammed the receiver down on the phone.

Lieutenant Frank Harper studied the face of his long-time friend. He had seen the color drain from the judge's face during the conversation, and knew from this side of the conversation, something was very wrong. Now the jurist's face was flushed red with the rage the cop could sense emanating from the older man. "Wilt, what's going on?" he asked, as he continued to watch his friend.

"Hollister's at Gulls-Way and he has McCormick and Sarah. He said he'll kill them unless I come," the judge explained.

"Milt, you can't seriously be thinking of walking in there. You know there's no guarantee that he won't kill them even if you do go," the officer said, trying to convince his friend to see reason.

"He'll kill them if I don't go," Hardcastle replied, his mind made up.

Harper knew the discussion was lost but he tried again anyway, "And he'll kill you if you do."

The judge nodded and said, "Maybe, but that's a chance I've got to take. I will not just stand by while he does who knows what to Mark and Sarah." The jurist's determination was evident on his face. He paused a moment and then said calmly, "Hollister said that you could come as well. In fact, he made a point of saying that I should invite you along, so I'm guessing he wants you there for some reason."

"Me, why?" Frank asked, confused at this turn of events.

"I have no idea. This guy isn't working with a full deck. You don't have to come if you don't want," Hardcastle replied.

"No I'll go with you. It might give us an added edge. Let me bring some units so we can see how bad the situation is before we go in. Maybe we can find a way to end this from the outside if we can't from inside," the lieutenant explained, his mind working on possible scenarios.

"Okay, but no matter what we find, I am going in there," the judge told him.

"I know," Harper replied, feeling uneasy at this latest development in the situation.

00000

Hollister hung up the phone and told Mark and Sarah, "Hardcastle's on his way along with the police lieutenant. Once we have all the parties assembled the real fun can begin. First, I'll kill you," he said pushing McCormick with his foot. Then turning to look at Sarah and said, "Then next, you'll have to die, ma'am. Then I think I'll kill the lieutenant and last will be the judge himself." Then the fugitive bent down and said quietly in the young man's ear, "But while we wait I'll have to entertain myself and the best way to do that is to make you suffer."

The ex-con looked at the ex-cop and said, "Hardcastle stopped you once, he'll do it again."

The escaped felon said "Not this time. He'll be here with us."

Mark watched as the escaped convict walked over to Sarah, and pointing at Mark, asked, "You don't like this piece of scum, do you?"

"Yes, I do," she replied, looking Mark in the eyes.

"Well, you know what he _is_, don't you?" Hollister asked, enjoying the discomfort the pair were in.

"Yes, I know what he is," she replied, and seeing the look of sadness on the young man's face, she continued. "He's a good and decent young man who made a mistake and now is working to be better. He has put all that behind him and I'm proud of him."

"You wouldn't be so proud of him if you knew the things he did the last time he and I were together," the ex-cop stated as he watched Mark's face as the young man realized the fugitive was going to tell her.

"I don't care what you say, it won't change how I feel about him," Sarah told the convict.

"Oh, yeah, we'll see. I bet he didn't tell you how he begged for water and how he pleaded with me to give him some," Hollister said laughing at the shock on her face and the humiliation on McCormick's.

Sarah looked at the young man on the floor and saw his shame. He met her eyes for a few seconds and his were filled with so much sorrow before he quickly looked away. "Mark, look at me," she said and waited until he made eye contact again. Once he did, she told him, "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

The escaped convict laughed and then said, "I bet you won't say that once you hear the rest of what this filthy ex-con did. I know he didn't tell you this. He didn't tell you how he pleaded for me to let him go to the bathroom. Did he tell you how he urinated on himself and that he wanted to cry like a little baby?"

Sarah listened to what the felon said and as she did, she could barely control her anger. When Hollister was done, she turned her attention to the McCormick, and said, "Mark, it doesn't change anything. I still think you are a good person. What happened there was not your fault. You couldn't help what he did to you or made you do." She watched as the young man accepted her words, but knew he was still deeply shamed. Turning her attention back to the escaped con, she said, " I hope you pay for all you've done. You're nothing but a sick animal!"

Before she knew what was coming, Hollister struck her hard across the face. "You had better watch your mouth, lady," he hissed as he looked at her with hatred on his face. He raised his hand again and was stopped by McCormick speaking.

"Don't touch her!" Mark yelled from the floor. "You leave her alone!"

"What're you going to do about it, you piece of trash? You best lie there and keep your mouth shut," Hollister said as he turned his attention back to Sarah.

Mark, fearing that the convict was going to hurt Sarah, was determined to draw his attention from her. "You're nothing but a hypocrite!" he yelled.

The ex-cop was furious now. He strode over to McCormick and jerked him up by his shirtfront. "What did you say?" he demanded.

"You heard me. You're a hypocrite. You go on and on about how much better you are than me but you're nothing but a convict. You are the thing you hate more than anything," McCormick said. He knew he had pushed the older man too far, but it had gotten him away from Sarah.

Hollister didn't like being reminded of that fact and decided to take his anger out on the ex-con for pointing it out. "You should learn when to keep that big mouth of your shut. Maybe I'll shut it for you," he said as he backhanded him hard across the face. He could hear Sarah yelling for him to stop, but continued to strike the young man across his mouth several more times.

Then the ex-cop dropped Mark to the floor and stood over him. "Maybe that'll teach you to watch what you say and who you say it to," the fugitive said as he watched the young man struggling to remain conscious. Deciding that he wanted the ex-con to really suffer, he kicked him again in the ribs. He continued to kick him and then laughed as he watched McCormick slip into unconsciousness. He then dragged Mark over and dropped him near Sarah's feet.

Turning to Sarah, Hollister said, "That'll teach him to open his big mouth and if you don't want him to get more of the same, you'll keep yours shut too." He knew threatening the ex-con would have more effect with her just as threatening her distressed the young man more.

00000

Hardcastle and Frank pulled in the front drive and parked at the bottom. The police units that accompanied them also parked there. They set up a barricade of the lower drive and tried to get a good look at the house to try and determine where the escaped con was holding Mark and Sarah.

One of the officers was looking at the house through binoculars and said "Lieutenant, there's movement in that room behind the red car."

"That's the den," the judge replied.

"Do you see the hostages?" the lieutenant asked.

"No, they're not near the window," the cop answered.

Harper asked his officer, "Could you get him if we could get him to stand in front of the window?"

"It would be hard from here. If we moved up about 30 feet the chances would improve greatly," the young cop answered.

"Then do it. Judge Hardcastle and I are going to go inside. We'll try and postpone whatever he has planned and attempt to get him in front of the windows. If you get an opportunity to take a shot, you do it," Frank informed his men.

Picking up the megaphone and holding it toward his friend, Frank said, "Milt, you should probably be the one to talk to him."

"Yeah, you're probably right," the jurist said. He took a moment to suppress his anger and then announced, "Hollister, this is Hardcastle. The lieutenant and I are coming in now."

00000

Inside the house, McCormick had started to come to when they heard the judge announcing he and the police officer were coming into the house.

Hollister noticed the movement from the young man and went to stand between him and Sarah, and said, "Good, you're awake, and just in time for the rest of the gang to arrive. Now the real fun can begin."

Hearing the door open, the escaped felon said, "Come on in," to let the two men know where he was. He took his gun out of his pocket, and once he saw Hardcastle and Harper in the doorway he said, "Stop right there. Lieutenant, I want you to stay right where you are and you, Judge, go over there." He pointed to the right side near the mantle.

Hardcastle moved until he was about 10 feet from Sarah, and stopped and when Hollister told him "That's far enough." The judge looked at Mark and Sarah and saw that they were in the middle of the floor, about three feet to the right of the window. _If the officer outside had to take a shot at Hollister then they should be safely out of range_, he thought as he stood waiting to see what the fugitive's next move would be.

Turning his attention to the police officer, the ex-cop said, "Okay, I know you're wearing your gun, so take it out very slowly and toss it over there." The escaped con pointed to the left. "Do it slow and don't try anything or I'll kill these two, starting with him," the fugitive said, aiming the gun on McCormick's head.

Harper slowly removed the gun from the holster and tossed it where Hollister had indicated. He thought as he did so, _Hopefully that satisfies him. If he frisks me he'll find the gun hidden behind my back. Maybe I can get a chance to stop him before anyone gets hurt any worse than they are._

The retired jurist was studying his young friend and his housekeeper. Sarah looked very frightened, and McCormick looked like he'd went several rounds in the ring. He could also tell the ex-con was in pain and scared, but was trying to hide it from the older woman. "McCormick, Sarah are you both okay?" he asked, although he knew they were not.

"I'm okay, Hardcase," Mark replied, trying to downplay his condition, but the judge was not fooled.

Sarah looked at Hardcastle and told him, "I'm all right, Your Honor. He didn't hurt me."

Hardcastle then saw her reddened cheek for the first time. "Why you!" he yelled angrily as he started to advance on Hollister.

"Ah, ah. I wouldn't do that if I were you," the escaped convict said as he pointed the gun at Sarah. He then put his foot on McCormick's chest and applied pressure to the ex-con's sensitive ribs, causing the young man to moan in pain.

The judge stopped in his tracks, and Hollister said, "I thought you'd see it my way. You were not supposed to find him until after he was dead. So now you're going to watch all of them die before you do."

"You'll never get away with this," the lieutenant said.

"I don't care as long as you all die," the crazed ex-cop replied.

Hollister still had his foot resting on Mark's chest and the young man moved, trying to remove it. Applying a little pressure, the fugitive said, "You just hold still," and then laughed when the pain caused the younger man to halt his movements.

Sarah looked at the ex-cop and said, "Why don't you leave him alone. You've already done enough to him."

"Well, now Sarah, just who do you think deserves this more? As far as I can see, there isn't one person here who deserves it more than this one," Hollister said as he nudged McCormick with his foot.

No one said anything for a few moments. Frank wanted to try and get the gun, but every time he thought about it, the man was looking at him.

The fugitive started walking around the room. He stepped over McCormick, making sure his foot hit the young man in the face on the way by. He started toward the window, and both Hardcastle and Harper were holding their breath hoping he would continue in that direction. But Hollister stopped short of the window and turned and walked over to the police lieutenant.

Frank watched as the ex-cop stopped in front of him and asked, "Why did you want me here?"

The escaped convict smiled and replied, "Because you helped Hardcastle find that filthy ex-con too soon."

"You were a police officer and you used your position to torment and abuse innocent people," Harper replied.

"They were convicts and deserved to be punished," Hollister responded.

"All of them weren't convicts, and even the ones that were could not be attacked that way. It is against the law; the law that you swore to protect. It is officers like you that gives the whole department a bad name," the lieutenant replied as his own anger began to rise.

The fugitive slapped Harper and said, "All those laws protecting the convicts make it impossible to give them what they deserve." He didn't wait for a response from the cop and walked toward Hardcastle.

The jurist could feel his anger rising, and it took all his control not to lash out at the ex-cop. The judge was tempted to try and subdue the crazed fugitive but he had his gun trained on Sarah and Hardcastle couldn't chance her being hurt.

Hollister walked up to the judge, and still keeping his gun aimed on Sarah, delivered a punch to the jurist's stomach. While Hardcastle was recovering from the blow, the escaped convict walked back over to stand between Sarah and McCormick.

The gun-wielding con patted the woman's cheek and said, "Don't worry, it'll all be over very soon." Turning his attention to Hardcastle, he said, "Should I start with your housekeeper or maybe you'd rather your bastard pup died first."

The judge looked at Sarah and tried to silently reassure her. He then turned his attention to the young man. Hardcastle had not failed to notice the silence from his young assistant, and that worried him in itself. The older man studied the ex-con and saw the look on his friend's face. He could tell that Mark was accepting the situation, and the jurist was angered that Hollister had pushed the kid that far. The judge tried to let McCormick know that it wasn't over yet and not to give up. Seeing Mark's slight nod, he looked to the escaped cop once again.

Knowing the jurist would never pick one of the two to die, the ex-cop said, "Well, that's okay, Hardcastle. When the time comes, the stinking ex-con goes first." He then stepped over the younger man, kicking him in the face again, and turned to stand at McCormick's side. "Shall we just get this over with?" he asked as he pointed the gun at Mark's head. The fugitive laughed as he saw the fear on the young man's face. Wanting to torture the ex-con a little longer, he asked, "What do you say, boy? Are you ready to die?" Hollister was pleased to see the McCormick's fear magnified.

Keeping the gun on the young man and stepping back from him, the fugitive said, "No, I think we'll just wait a little longer." He stood and looked at each of the other people in the room, taking pleasure at their looks of fear and anger.

After a few minutes, Hollister started walking toward the desk. Hardcastle and Harper were very careful not to let their expectation show. The ex-cop paused at the corner and then walked behind it. Pushing the chair out of his way as he went, he walked past the desk and then turned and went to stand behind it, facing the jurist.

A shot rang out and the window glass shattered. Hollister fell across the desk, his gun landing beside him.

Hardcastle rushed to Sarah and started to untie her. Removing the gun he had concealed, Harper started toward the ex-cop.

Mark had his eyes glued to the escaped convict, and saw his hand reach for his gun. He watched in fear as he saw Hollister aim at the judge's back. He couldn't do anything but yell out a warning, "Judge, look out!"

The lieutenant couldn't see the movements from the downed felon, but was alerted by McCormick's yell. He then saw the ex-cop raising his gun toward the jurist and fired at Hollister. Frank's aim was true, and the gun fell from the escaped con's hands and to the floor. Harper walked over to the ex-cop and checked for a pulse as the officers from outside entered the house and then the den.

"Call this in. We need an ambulance and get a coroner out here," the lieutenant ordered his men.

Frank turned to see Hardcastle finishing Sarah's ropes and turning to untie Mark. He walked over to see how they were.

The housekeeper was now beside Mark, and wiping the hair from the young man's forehead and told him, "You'll be okay now."

The ex-con attempted to rise, but was pushed back down by the jurist. "Now you lie still. The ambulance will be here in a few minutes," the judge said, keeping his hands on the young man's shoulders.

Mark said, "Aw, come on Judge. I'm not hurt that bad. I don't need to go to the hospital." He tried to move but was stopped by the pain in his ribs.

"No, you're not hurt," Hardcastle said sarcastically, and then went on, "You can't even move without pain. You are going to the hospital, and that's the end of the discussion."

Sarah also responded to the young man's complaint. "Mark, that awful man was kicking and hitting you in the chest and stomach before the judge and Lieutenant Harper got here. I know you're hurting and could be seriously injured. You need to go to the hospital so the doctors can make sure you're okay," she suggested gently, as she continued to comfort him.

Knowing he wasn't going to win the argument against the two of them, McCormick stopped his struggles and relaxed. "Okay," he said, acknowledging his acceptance of their wishes.

00000

The morning after the incident with Hollister, Mark woke up in his hospital room and looked around. The judge and Sarah weren't there yet, which the young man found surprisingly comforting. He was feeling nervous about seeing them today.

As he was thinking about those feelings, the subjects of his thoughts entered the room.

"Mark, how are you feeling, dear?" Sarah said as she came over and kissed his cheek.

"I'm feeling better. The doctor said I could go home in a few days," the young man replied as he glanced at the housekeeper. When he saw the bruise on her cheek, he felt a twisting in his gut. He dropped his gaze and fiddled with his blanket.

Sarah studied McCormick's face and tried to determine what had caused the change in his mood.

The judge stood watching the two and then walked over to the bed. "I'm glad you're feeling better, kiddo, and that you can go home soon. We'll just take it easy for a while and let you recover before we start any cases," the jurist said, not quite able to cover the uneasiness he was feeling.

"Sure, whatever you want to do, Hardcase," the ex-con replied, not comfortable with the conversation.

Conversation centered on Mark and his recovery. They talked about sports and items in the news and avoided talking about what had happened. Each person had their own concerns regarding the incident and all were feeling uneasy and unsettled.

00000

Mark had been in the hospital for two days and was lying in his bed waiting for the judge and Sarah to visit him when Dr. Maxwell entered the room.

"Good morning, Mark. How are you feeling?" the doctor said as he took a seat by the bed.

"I'm okay. I have a couple broken ribs and am banged up, but I'm doing okay," the young man, dropping his head.

The psychiatrist had been contacted when Mark was admitted because he had treated the ex-con after the last incident with Hollister. He remembered the young man's body language from before and knew there were issues McCormick needed to deal with.

"Mark, I understand that this was the same man that attacked you before," Dr. Maxwell, stated, trying to start the conversation.

"Yeah, it was Hollister," McCormick replied quietly. After several moments of silence, the ex-con said, "I know he's dead, but I'm still afraid."

"Listen, what you've been through is bound to cause you to be afraid, especially since this same person has hurt you before," the doctor started to explain.

"I know, when I heard he was loose, I couldn't stop the memories from coming back. And then he came to the estate again, I felt just like I did in that trailer. I felt hopeless and like I didn't deserve to be alive, like I was less worthy just like he told me. You and I worked through all that before and I had just put it behind me and now it is all back again," the young man explained.

"Mark, it's understandable that all those feelings have returned after what you've undergone. We can work through all these issues again," the psychiatrist remarked.

"Doc, there's something else. I'll be released in a few days and I'm afraid to go home. He got me there twice and I know he's dead, but I'm still afraid," McCormick said.

"Mark, what you're feeling is perfectly normal. It is an understandable reaction that you would fear the place where you were attacked, not once but twice. We can talk about this and anything else you feel until you once again feel safe and secure," Dr. Maxwell explained.

"Thanks, Doc," the young man replied.

The doctor and Mark talked for a while longer about several issues. When the psychiatrist left he knew that the young man was feeling better than when he came in the room.

00000

The rest of McCormick's stay in the hospital passed uneventfully. He met with Dr. Maxwell each day and agreed to continue to see him after he returned home.

The uneasiness that was present between the three residents of Gulls-Way had not decreased as time passed.

The psychiatrist had observed the group together and was concerned. Their affection and concern for one another was present, but there was also tension there creating a barrier between them. The doctor hoped that it would ease with time as the group dealt with the underlying causes.

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Mark returned to Gulls-Way and for the first few minutes he was visibly nervous. He walked into the house with Sarah and the judge and walked directly into the kitchen. He didn't even glance toward the den as he passed. The housekeeper followed Mark into the kitchen.

The judge had gone to the den while McCormick and Sarah went to the kitchen. He hadn't missed the fact that Mark passed right by the den without even looking on that direction. Dr. Maxwell had told him the ex-con was nervous about coming home and had explained that he was afraid because of what had happened. Hardcastle had asked how he could help the kid with his discomfort. The psychiatrist advised him to just let McCormick deal with it at his own pace.

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The older woman fixed Mark a glass of tea and a plate of leftovers. "Here, you need to eat. We picked you up and you missed your dinner," she said as she tenderly brushed her hand across his face.

"Sarah, have you and the judge eaten?" the young man asked.

"Yes, we ate right before we left to get you," she answered.

McCormick ate his dinner and rose from the table. He took his plate to the sink and said, "Thanks, Sarah, it was delicious, a lot better than at the hospital."

She noticed that Mark still wouldn't make eye contact with her unless he couldn't avoid it. She didn't know what was making him so uneasy around her, and didn't know any way to help him. He was hurting and she felt incapable of offering comfort.

Mark started up the hall and froze at the door to the den. He hesitated for a moment and then seeming to come to a decision, took a few halting steps inside the door.

The judge seeing McCormick hesitating in the doorway coaxed, "Come on in, Kiddo, and we'll watch the movie." Hardcastle watched as his young associate walked hesitantly to his usual chair, while being very careful to keep his eyes from the desk and the area on the floor where he had been tied. The jurist was pleased to see the young man attempting to overcome his fears.

The ex-con sank into his chair and started to watch the movie. He sat silently for several minutes but soon he started to feel more at ease. As he relaxed he started to slip into his usual banter.

The jurist was glad that his young friend could relax enough to participate in their usual movie watching activities. He knew that the kid had a ways to go, but he had take the first step. Hardcastle was still feeling uneasy around McCormick but he tried to push it aside until he could deal with why he felt the way he did. He settled back and enjoyed the movie and the young man's company.

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Dr. Maxwell had been seeing Mark and had seen Hardcastle and Sarah on a few occasions when he decided the best way to help this three people was for them all to come to a group session. They each had issues that would not be settled until they talked to one another, which seemed to be their problem at the moment.

Mark entered the room first and took a seat. Sarah sat on his left and the judge sat on his right. The psychiatrist smiled to himself at their choice of seating. The woman and the jurist were seated by the young man in a supportive and protective manner.

"Okay, let's all get comfortable and we'll get started," the doctor said as he studied their faces. "I want you to move your chairs to form a small circle.

Once the circle was formed, everyone sat quietly for several minutes, so the psychiatrist decided to start the discussion.

"Your Honor, yesterday, when you were here, you said that you felt guilty over what had happened. Why don't you tell Sarah and Mark why you feel that way," Dr. Maxwell said, and waited for the older man to speak.

Mark looked at Hardcastle and asked, "Yeah, Judge, what do you feel guilty for?"

"Well, kiddo, I knew Hollister was out there and I told you we would get him and I didn't stop him. I should have protected you and Sarah. That lunatic never should have gotten his hands on you two," the jurist said.

"But Your Honor, you did the best you could. You couldn't help what happened. I'm the one that brought him to the estate. He never have hurt Mark if I hadn't helped him," the housekeeper felt sadly.

"Sarah, he held a gun on you. He would have killed you so you didn't have a choice," the young man said trying to ease the housekeeper's guilt. Turning his attention to his friend, he said, "And you, Judge, you said you and the police would try to catch him. You didn't promise that he would not hurt me."

McCormick sat silent for a moment and then said, "Besides, Sarah, if I'd been paying more attention when I went into the den, Hollister wouldn't have knocked me out. I could have stopped him and he never would have hit you. I shouldn't have let that happen," Mark said, as he tried explaining how he was at fault.

Hardcastle looked at his young friend shocked that the kid felt it was his fault he had not prevented this from happening. "McCormick, you had no way of knowing that Hollister was in the den. You saw Sarah in trouble and responded. No one could expect anything more," the judge said wanting his young assistant to feel better.

Sarah reached over and touched the young man's face, and said, "Mark, you did all you could. And you protected me from him hitting me again. That's why you said what you did to make him mad, so he would turn from me to you. That was more than you should have had to do."

Mark listened as Sarah and Hardcastle talked and then spoke again, while looking at the floor. "Yeah, I guess, but if you or Sarah hadn't been mixed up with me in the first place, none of this would have happened. You and Sarah were hurt because of me--because of what I am." the young man kept his head bowed and wouldn't meet either Sarah or the judge's eyes.

Dr. Maxwell had heard these thoughts from McCormick following the ex-con's kidnapping and imprisonment. The psychiatrist and Mark had discussed this during their sessions together then. The doctor decided not to comment now, but to listen and see how the judge and housekeeper handled the ex-con's feelings of unworthiness.

"Mark, look at me," Sarah said, and when the ex-con would not raise his gaze, she reached over and cupping his chin, gently raised his head so she could see his face. "You are a good person," she said and when she saw he was going to interrupt, said, "Yes, you've made some mistakes, but those are in the past. That man hurting you because of it, and us because we like you is just wrong."

After she finished, the judge spoke, saying, "Kiddo, Hollister hated all ex-cons. You just happened to be the one he targeted. That does not make you a bad person. You have shown me that you are a good person with a lot of good traits. You're loyal, trustworthy and brave. The fact that Hollister said he was hurting Sarah and me because we know you, that was a problem he had, not me. I'm glad to have a friend like you." The jurist watched as the young man considered what he had said and was pleased to see some of the worry leave the ex-con's face.

The conversation continued for several more minutes as each person tried to refute the others' reasons for guilt.

The doctor let them continue for a while and then cleared his throat to get their attention. "All three of you have been blaming yourselves for what happened when the only one responsible is Mr. Hollister. Mark as you said, you walked in and saw Sarah in trouble and rushed to her aid. And like Judge Hardcastle told you, that is what anyone would have done in that situation. You saw a friend in danger and hurried to help her. Sarah and Judge Hardcastle have both said how they feel about you and the fact that you're an ex-con. So, as for the judge and Ms. Wicks being hurt because they were associated with you, that was Mr. Hollister's problem not yours." Dr. Maxwell stated as he watched the young man start to release his guilt.

The psychiatrist continued, saying, "Now, Sarah, you feel guilty because you drove the man to the estate. Well, as Mark pointed out, Mr. Hollister would have killed you if you had refused. So you should not feel guilty because you really did not have a choice." The doctor was relieved to see her smile as she accepted the truth of the words.

Turning to Hardcastle, he said, "Your Honor, you feel you should not have allowed the attacker to get to Mark and Sarah. But I'm sure as Sarah said you were doing things to prevent it. I can't believe that you just sat back and let it happen." Seeing the jurist nod, he continued, "Sir, you are no more responsible for what happened with Mr. Hollister than Mark and Sarah."

The doctor watched as the three started to accept that they were not responsible for this attack. He was satisfied that they would be definitely be okay. Today they had accepted this was something none of them could have prevented but that they would survive. As he watched them continue to talk and connect, he knew that they would deal with this by coming together and supporting one other. Soon none of these special people would need him anymore, as they would find the support and love they needed with each other.

The End


End file.
